It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,403 issued June 4, 1985 of which I am a co-inventor that the relatively weak antimicrobial activity of iodine in the form of a povidone iodine complex can be greatly enhanced by the presence of nascent oxygen from any suitable supply source such as a peroxide like H.sub.2 O.sub.2. Within certain designated relative proportions the nascent oxygen interacts with or upon the iodine derived from the povidone iodine complex and a greatly enhanced antimicrobial activity is obtained. As noted in that patent the combination of povidone iodine complex and nascent oxygen in aqueous or aqueous alcoholic solution is particularly advantageous in the treatment of periodontal diseases. There is no teaching or suggestion, however, that the cidally enhanced composition has other and unrelated uses and the present invention is directed thereto.